DAVE Artell labelled Crewe's lacklustre showing as "a performance from four years ago".

The attacking panache and slick play that has bamboozled many League One defenders this season was absent on a bitterly cold afternoon at Gresty Road.

While Crewe's defending froze on several occasions against the direct visitors, which was perhaps understandable considering the overhaul the back four has undergone in the last week.

With Perry Ng departed, Luke Offord and Harry Pickering in the treatment room, Billy Jones bedding in on his return on loan and Rio Adebisi making his first league start you could make allowances for this showing, although boss Artell was in no mood to do so.

There were problems at both ends of the pitch without a doubt. Keeper Dave Richards offered out-of-form AFC Wimbledon more than a glimmer of hope in the first half, flapping at Cheye Alexander's deep cross to hand Joe Pigott the opener on a plate after just 70 seconds.

There was more trouble brewing when the keeper kicked his clearance against the striker although that error wasn't punished with a second goal for the visitors, which would have undone the work Crewe did fighting their way back after such a slow start.

They got on top and Sam Walker's goal had escaped one or two dramas by the time veteran Jones drove in from the right and dropped a cross over that rebounded off the far post. Oli Finney didn't need any invitation to lash the equaliser home (31) - but sadly Crewe never really progressed from there.

Wingback Alexander hit the woodwork with a rising drive from wide on the right and after the break Pigott's glancing header from a free kick was heading for the bottom corner before

Richards redeemed himself with a brilliantly agile turnaround.

If anything, The Dons looked to have more of a threat on the break. With Mikael Mandron injured after a premature return off the bench against Bristol Rovers last Tuesday, Chris Porter soldiered away without effect. Pickering's absence cut the left-sided supply line with Charlie Kirk, who teased a few openings, yet there were no takers.

Middlesbrough loanee Stephen Walker may have got his loan return off with a bang had he connected better with a late corner from which he was left free 12 yards out, but the 20-year-old dollied an effort into the hands of Sam Walker.

That summed up a very mediocre afternoon, which Artell described as a "tough watch".

But a throwback to January 2017? That may be a very harsh assessment indeed, although the Alex boss has high standards he expects from his players.

When he picked up the baton from Steve Davis, Crewe were at a low ebb and their fault lines weren't just down to confidence and work ethic; there was a lack of quality in the ranks.

This, in contrast, is a side stretching its unbeaten run to 10 games and one that has many scouts sat in an empty stand watching, while Championship clubs assess making bids for its prized assets.

If anything, this poor display should perhaps be filed in the folder marked "bad day at the office" for its outcome was equally down to the determination and hard work shown by the visitors who were ending a dreadful run of form.

Artell pointed out: "Four of the last 10 goals we've conceded have come early in halves and that is something we've got to stop. That's nothing to do with football, it's to do with application

"AFC Wimbledon came flying out of the traps and we didn't match them. When we did there was nothing in the game from either side.

"We had some really good chances in the first half and they hit the bar too.

"That was a performance from four years ago when we it looked like we were just surviving, just coping and saying 'that'll do as long as we don't lose'. But come on we're better than that.

"Yes, it was a tricky pitch. Yes, we've got one full-back making his second debut who hasn't trained with us once. Yes, we've got another one making his League One debut. It will impact on fluidity but not to that extent at all.

"There were players that really struggled to find a red shirt this afternoon."

In contrast, Glyn Hodges was delighted with his players' work ethic as the draw took AFC Wimbledon out of the bottom four, ending a run of five consecutive defeats.

"Our run was tough to take. Everyone was doom and gloom and quite rightly as the results haven't been good enough," said Hodges.

"But they're a game bunch and they are the same group of players that got us up the league earlier in the season. We put our stamp on the game by playing to our strengths.

"Crewe are an in-form side, but we shouldn't have lost to them at home and we could have won the game today."

Crewe: Richards; Jones, Beckles, Lancashire, Adebisi; Wintle, Lowery (Murphy), Finney; Dale, Porter(Stephen Walker), Kirk. Subs: Jaaskelainen, Johnson, Sass-Davies, Nolan, Griffiths.

AFC Wimbledon: Sam Walker; O'Neill (Kalambayi) (Dobson), Csoka, Nightingale; Alexander (McLoughlin), Woodyard, Reilly, Rudoni, Guiness-Walker; Longman, Piggott. Subs: Tzanev, Chislett, Robinson, Oksanen.

• Tonight the Alex bolstered their midfield options when they unveiled former Everton youngster Antony Evans on a loan deal from Bundesliga 2 outfit SC Paderborn 07.

Evans, 22, joins until the end of the season to become Crewe's third loan signing in three days.

The attacking midfielder captained The Toffees under-23 side in 2018 and had loan stints at Morecambe and Blackpool. The Kirkby-born player swopped Merseyside for Germany when he agreed a permanent deal with the then Bundesliga outfit a year ago.

He made six appearances in the Bundesliga last term as Paderborn ended up being relegated to the second tier, where Evans' opportunities have been limited to one outing.

Fabian Wohlgemuth, the managing director of Paderborn, said of the move: "Antony would like to book more playing time for himself again in order to be able to advance his personal development.

"We have the same interest, especially since he is still under contract with us until summer 2022. We wish Antony the best possible sporting success for his commitment in his home country."